National Poetry Day At St Pancras

St Pancras International, Euston Road, London
National Poetry Day At St Pancras image
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Event has ended
This event ended on Thursday 6th of October 2016
Admission
Free
Venue Information
St Pancras Railway Station
Euston Road, NW1 2QE
Nearest Tube/Rail Stations
King's Cross St. Pancras 0.00 miles

This National Poetry Day (NPD) St Pancras International is hosting a suite of exclusive, free events in partnership Poet in the City.

The station’s position as a cultural hub is ever-growing thanks to public art and music programmes including Terrace Wires and Sound Connections, and it is already considered a historic poetry site having been saved from demolition by John Betjeman. The bronze statue of Betjeman by Martin Jennings which was commissioned for the newly renovated station will also serve as a fitting location for the day’s celebrations.

Working together with Poet in the City and Maslaha, this year’s common theme of ‘messages’ will be told through the lens of the Landai – a form of female poetry written in Afghanistan. Designed to be recited or sung aloud, and frequently anonymous, the Landai is formed of a couplet comprised of 22 syllables. Landais are a traditional form of poetry which in addition to featuring at weddings, special occasions and in everyday speech, have a long history of female resistance and solidarity, passed between women over the telephone or in secret poetry groups. Often satirical, cutting or openly romantic, this inspiring use of poetry demonstrates its currency as a means of harnessing change and as an emblem of freedom of speech, both nationally and globally.

‘Poet storytellers’ will be stationed throughout St Pancras all day engaging passing commuters and visitors in immersive poetry experiences using new and old Landais and asking the question ‘if you could say anything, what would it be?’. This question is inspired by the way Landais provide a chance to send a truthful, personal and free message without censorship.

As evening approaches, St Pancras will hand over to Poet in the City for an evening of poetry and music centred on the theme of ‘personal journeys’ inspired by the idea of access to identity which Landais represent. Performers including Bridget Minamore, Sabrina Mahfouz and Benin City have been hand-selected to perform work which explores the fundamental right of self-expression.

All events are free, however, reserving a seat for the evening event is strongly advised.

National Poetry Day at St Pancras:

All day: poet storytellers – positioned throughout the station
6.00-7.30pm: Poet in the City with Bridget Minamore, Sabrina Mahfouz and Benin City – Grand Terrace (upstairs opposite Benugo)

Tags: Around Town

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